c/budget-home-upgrades

TIL my thrift store picture frames were making my walls look cheap

I had a bunch of mismatched frames from Goodwill on my living room wall for years, thinking it looked artsy. Then my sister visited and said, "It looks like a yard sale threw up in here." I realized the cheap, thin frames with different finishes just made the whole room feel cluttered and low effort. I spent a Saturday spray painting them all the same matte black and it made a huge difference for about $8. Anyone else have a cheap fix that pulled a room together?

2 comments

price.alice•1d ago

I see so many people skip the primer step on old wood trim

It chips in a year because the new paint can't stick to the old finish. Has anyone else found a good primer under $20 that actually works?

2 comments

wrenstone•3d ago

Warning: My kitchen cabinet project in my old Atlanta apartment went wrong fast

I tried to paint my laminate cabinets with a $20 kit from a big box store. The paint peeled off in sheets after just two weeks because I didn't sand first. Now I have to strip it all and start over, which is way more work. Has anyone else had a laminate paint job actually hold up, or should I just save for new doors?

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lewis.diana•6d ago

I painted my kitchen cabinets two ways and one saved me a ton of time

I wanted to refresh my old oak cabinets without replacing them. First, I tried painting them with a brush and roller, which left brush marks and took forever. Then I borrowed a friend's Wagner sprayer, and it gave a smooth, factory-like finish in about half the time. The sprayer cost me nothing to borrow and the paint was only $40 for a gallon. Has anyone else found a tool that cut a big job down to size?

2 comments